MEETING OF THE PRIME MINISTER, HEAD OF GOVERNMENT, WITH BUSINESSES IN POINTE-NOIRE

The Prime Minister met for the first time since taking office the companies of Pointe-Noire on Thursday, August 19, 2021, at the Atlantic Hotel. Several local authorities of the Kouilou and Pointe-Noire prefectures as well as about thirty companies were present.

This meeting was first of all an opportunity to congratulate the Consular Chamber of Pointe-Noire and Unicongo for their commitments to the implementation of the orientations of the program of the President of the Republic.

The Head of Government then mentioned the multiform crisis that the Republic of Congo has been going through for several years, on the economic, financial and moral level. The latter being particularly characterized by the anti-values observed in society and administration. In addition, since the beginning of 2020, there has been a health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

He concluded by recalling the need for a commitment at all levels of the various national actors of the political, economic and social life in order to get out of this crisis.

The President of the Consular Chamber of Pointe-Noire and the President of Unicongo then spoke. They focused their message on the following points:

• The improvement of the business climate by the public authoritiesThe improvement of the business climate by the public authorities is an essential factor for the revival of the national economy and its diversification. Mainly through a coherent institutional and legal framework which must secure private investments, and the rational management of the parafiscality and administrative controls asphyxiating the companies;
• The establishment of a quality economic infrastructure and an effective national training system. They would guarantee the competitiveness of Congolese companies, particularly in the context of the African Continental Free Trade Area. The latter will eventually open the Congolese market to the free movement of goods and skills from other African countries;
• The establishment of a permanent public-private dialogue on all issues concerning the private sector. This would make it possible to avoid unilateral decisions by public authorities. These are often detrimental to private companies, which create wealth and jobs for young people (who are increasingly numerous on the job market);
• The perpetuation of the Government's attentiveness to the concerns of the private sector, of which this first meeting is a very encouraging sign.

The meeting ended with the Prime Minister promising to meet periodically with companies and private sector representativesto regularly review the situation.